Danny Schechter the News Dissector 1942-2015 2 Remembering Danny Schechter
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A SPECIAL 48-PAGE TRIBUTE ColdType WRITING WORTH READING ISSUE 96 Photo: Joyce Ravid Joyce Photo: DANNY SCHECHTER THE NEWS DISSECTOR 1942-2015 2 Remembering Danny Schechter Go Higher At the end of a year there’s a sigh welling from within What was done, undone? How have we changed? Save the ravages of age? When you see too much, You think you know too much My challenge: Can I feel more Think less? What next to work for And become Open to change within? Is the die cast? Has the journey become The destination? Tick, tick, tick… Is it over before it’s over? I feel estranged in two countries with only dreams to remember A moment for reflection erupts Staring off, I stare within There is a pause A silence too As days grown shorter And nights darker Only to say, unexpectedly Light smiled into my world and helped me Go higher Danny Schechter 31 December 2012 ColdType | www.coldtype.net Remembering Danny Schechter 3 News Dissector at work, WBCN. Hamba Kahle, Comrade By Tony Sutton, ColdType editor ’ve worked on many projects with Danny than reading his words, I just couldn’t start Schechter during the past 12 years, producing editing until . well, you know when. seven of his books and publishing his essays Sadly, work on Topic is now under way, and Iand columns in ColdType. However, unlike ev- it’s like everything Danny and I have worked erything before, this special edition of ColdType on before: precise, meticulous, funny, serious. is one I’ve been dreading over the too-short six Indispensable. Topic of Cancer will initially be months since he told me he had cancer. produced as an ebook at ColdType.net, while I spluttered several platitudes of disbelief awaiting a publisher for the printed paper- when he told me of his illness, bur he softly back version. Until then, I hope you’ll enjoy confirmed the diagnosis before saying we had this 48-page souvenir, packed with loving another book to publish together, one he’d memories from colleagues and friends, begin- already titled – Topic Of Cancer – a journal of ning with a wonderful essay from his daugh- his struggle with his illness. ter, Sarah. The first pages of the manuscript arrived Many thanks to everyone who contributed in my in-box a couple of weeks later, followed to this special tribute. Danny has been, and by additions every week or so. Each time we will always be, a source of inspiration and a spoke, he asked what I thought of his writ- fine example to us all. ing and how the book was progressing. Fine, Hamba Kahle, Comrade. As the tears dry, I’d reply, not wanting him to know that, other our memories will blossom. l www.coldtype.net | April 2015 | ColdType 4 Remembering Danny Schechter Their first of many adventures. Cape Cod 1977. My father. Our Hero Sarah Schechter pays tribute to the father she shared with the world anny Schechter had many job titles, one is equal and everyone deserves respect. He from “The News Dissector” to Hu- showed me that one man can make a differ- man Rights Activist, from Journalist ence on multiple continents. Not only is there Dto Filmmaker, from Media Critic to always time to help a person in need, it is our Mentor, but I am the only one lucky enough to responsibility to help. It is easy to do if you know him by the most important title he ever just try. held, Dad. He always made sure I knew it, even It wasn’t always easy sharing my dad with as he juggled five lifetime’s worth of work. He the world. I remember one summer vacation made it seem easy. on Cape Cod coincided with the Iran Contra There are wonderful words throughout this Hearings. He dragged a TV to a window over- issue which will give you a taste (just a taste!) looking the deck and spent every day glued of his genius, the reach of his work, and the to the TV. He thought if he was outside, it difference he made in the world. I don’t need counted as vacation. My childhood was spent to rehash that. What I can uniquely testify to at protests, in offices, at shoots, at events, and is what he was like as a father. He was incred- holding his hand through various airports. ible. He loved me so deeply and clearly. I am I was surrounded by ANC exiles, musicians, so blessed to have him as my first and most filmmakers, political leaders, journalists, and important teacher. He taught me that every- the like. There were always PILES of newspa- ColdType | www.coldtype.net Remembering Danny Schechter 5 Above: The family smile. Below: Danny recruited Sarah to help with interviews at an early age. pers, always people to be met, always movies to see, things to do. He was electric and alive every minute. He once took me on assignment with him to a Na- vajo reservation for a 20/20 story. He always wanted me to understand how big the world was. I just remember how he talked his way out of a ticket for driving 88 miles an hour through the desert. It is particularly impres- sive because I was sitting next to him repeat- edly saying “Dad! 88 miles?” I loved the Red Sox so he managed to get one ticket to the 1986 world series through a friend. He sat me in my seat and waited just outside the gate to make sure I was okay. He always found a way. I would get emails and calls from him from all over the world. I couldn’t even keep up. “With love from the Congo...” “in Chicago...” “back in www.coldtype.net | April 2015 | ColdType 6 Remembering Danny Schechter Above: New Hampshire, February 1983 Photo by Jerry Bernt. Below: Always comfortable in his arms, 1976 South Africa...” he was everywhere. I hope he still is. One year I was the first to wish him a happy birthday, He wrote back, “You were the first. And always are.” Loving him was easy. He was hilarious. He could always make me laugh and make me think. I have heard many sto- ries about his temper but I never saw that. When I was 12 and had to do a school report on an important woman in history, he suggested Tina Turner. Of course I did it. In high school I had to a research report on American History, most kids picked presidents. I picked Abbie Hoffman. What can I say? I am proudly my father’s daughter. He was so incredibly supportive and loving and al- ways made sure I knew how proud he was of me. I did the same. It was easy with him. A few other things you should know. He was an incredible dancer. He loved music. He loved Mel Brooks. He loved the show Luther. ColdType | www.coldtype.net Remembering Danny Schechter 7 At Barbara Kopple’s House, NY 1986 or 1987. Liberal T-Shirts are a family uniform He took me with him into the voting booth to comes to my dad. He was always busy being vote for Jesse Jackson. He would tuck me in born. Shortly before his death (which came at night and clean between my toes. He could way too quickly . I guess he was never one not throw anything out. We didn’t really know for long goodbyes as he always had some- how to enjoy “the country” so we would go where else to be), he said, “I don’t know how to the mall and watch three movies in a row. much time I have.” I said, “Dad, no one does.” We would only pay for one. He was cheap. He He took a deep breath and said, “Yeah. And loved his friends. He loved Mandela. He made I guess 72 years is a long time and I certainly sure my initials were SDS. He was always try- lived it to the max.” We laughed. Nothing could ing to help a former intern. He was proud of have been more true. He insisted on bringing being from the Bronx. He was ALWAYS that his computer to the hospital because he had energetic and busy. two articles to finish. Shortly after he died I I can’t believe he is gone. I was lucky enough found out he had completed not one, but two to hold his hand while he died and tell him more books . while he was fighting cancer. over and over how much I loved him, how Of the many things to learn from my dad, one many people loved him, and what a difference irrefutable lesson is there are absolutely no ex- he made in the world. It was easy to say this. cuses for not DOING and therefore being born. Bob Dylan said, “He not busy being born He really made it look easy. is busy dying.” That is just not true when it Living without him. Now that is hard. l www.coldtype.net | April 2015 | ColdType 8 Remembering Danny Schechter To Danny, as always, Rory O’Connor Danny Schechter’s long-time business partner and friend, has a fascinating story that spans more than 30 years y the time we met, in the end part of petition, the Real Paper. I began freelancing for “The Sixties” that was actually the mid- both while driving a taxi to pay most of the rent.